The gold statue
A winged Victory 6.7 m tall.
Isra Rulowsinsky — CC0 · DroneEddie — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thelmadatter — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Marcoantonio0074 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Isra Rulowsinsky — CC0
The Angel of Independence, officially the Monument to Independence, is a victory column on a roundabout of Paseo de la Reforma in central Mexico City. It is one of the best-known landmarks in the capital and a place where crowds gather to celebrate. It was built to mark a hundred years since the start of the War of Independence. President Porfirio Díaz ordered it in 1900, with a design by the architect Antonio Rivas Mercado and sculptures by the Italian artist Enrique Alciati. The foundation stone was laid in 1902. The foundations failed in 1906 when the work had reached 25 metres, so it was rebuilt and opened on 16 September 1910. It later became a mausoleum for heroes of independence, and an eternal flame was added in 1929. The column stands 36 metres high, topped by a 6.7-metre winged Victory of bronze covered in gold, holding a laurel crown and a broken chain. At the base are a bronze lion led by a child, marble statues of heroes of the war, and the inscription The Nation to the Heroes of Independence. Fourteen steps have been added to the original nine because the ground of the city keeps sinking, a story you can read with your own eyes. It is 3.7 km in a straight line west of the Zócalo. The view from the pavement is open, but reach the central island only by the pedestrian crossings, and watch the traffic. It is at its best in the evening when lit. Do not count on going up inside, as access is restricted.
A winged Victory 6.7 m tall.
Bronze at the base.
Fourteen steps reveal the sinking ground.
Roundabout on Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City
A stair leads to a platform, but visits have been suspended or limited at times, so do not count on it.
The winged figure on top looks like an angel to most people, though it is a statue of Victory.
